


Of Lemons and Oranges

by KaytiKazoo



Series: How It Could Have Been [2]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, Multi, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:27:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27908224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KaytiKazoo/pseuds/KaytiKazoo
Summary: Daisy and Daniel try and surprise Deke, but their surprise doesn't mean what they think it means.
Relationships: Deke Shaw/Skye | Daisy Johnson/Daniel Sousa
Series: How It Could Have Been [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1903096
Comments: 5
Kudos: 14





	Of Lemons and Oranges

Deke came back to his room after a long day training with May, and paused as the door was open. He pushed it open slowly, and peeked in. He caught Daisy and Daniel murmuring to one another, backs to the door. He couldn’t interrupt for a moment, pleased to see them after a long day, body aching. Of course, he would have certainly preferred knowing they were coming, but he’d never say no to his partners showing up at his room. He watched them, and then noticed the oranges sitting on his bed as Daniel moved out of the way. Then, there were a few more on the nightstand. 

He knocked on the doorframe and Daisy startled, dropping an orange to the ground.

“Hey guys,” he said as if he didn’t see the orange roll towards him. “What’s going on?”

“We, uhhh, wanted to leave you a surprise,” Daisy said. 

“Oranges?” Deke asked.

“Well, I couldn’t find any lemons,” she replied. “But I figured, it’s lemon  _ adjacent _ .”

He chuckled and shook his head, stepping in to the room and picking up the orange, letting the door fall shut behind him. He remembered his mom bringing him an orange every year on his birthday, helping him peel it with him in her lap. His fingers would smell like oranges for days, and he savored it. 

“This is really sweet,” he said. “Really sweet.”

“What’s wrong?” Daniel asked. 

“It’s just, ahh, that – there’s a different meaning to oranges, than there are lemons,” he said, rolling the orange between his hands. “I’m, I’m touched that you think of me as a part of your family.”

“Oh. What?”

“You know how flowers have different meanings?” Deke asked, sitting down on the bed. “Oranges are more for familial affection. My mom would give me an orange on my birthday every year. They’re for mothers to sons, and the people that you choose to be your family. And I’d be glad to be your family, if that’s what you want.”

“Oh, I didn’t,” Daisy started.

“Lemons are more for romantic interest, obviously,” he said, gesturing between them. He was desperately trying not to cry, which he’d never done in front of either of them. He hadn’t really allowed himself to. Actually, he hadn’t cried much since his mom died. That was a luxury in the Lighthouse that no one could afford.

He wiped the tear from his eye and played with the orange again.

“I’m sorry, I really like it,” he said, and his partners sat on the bed on either side of him. “I’ve never had to explain it before. It was just something people knew where I’m from, and I’m getting a little nostalgic over, over everything. My mom. My friends from the Lighthouse. You guys.”

“You are my family, both of you are. I’ve chosen you,” Daisy said, and she kissed Deke’s cheek. “So, it wasn’t intentional, but you are family to me.”

“Yeah?” Deke asked.

“ Mmmhm , you are. You are absolutely, one hundred percent, without a doubt my family, and I choose you as my family every day. So, this,” she said, touching the orange between his fingertips, “this is real. We are romantically interested in you, obviously, but you are also our family.”

Deke smiled, and Daniel leaned in to kiss his other cheek. 

“You are,” he agreed, “our family.”

“And you’re mine.”

**Author's Note:**

> Me to Alex after seeing a lemon print baby blanket: Do you think different citrus fruit had different meanings? Because Deke gives Daisy lemons but he said his mom would get him an orange every year for his birthday  
> And now, here's this fic!


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